Stoke City’s style of play divides football supporters, the media and those within the game.On the one hand some suggest that the style suits them, it gets results, it gives a variation on how to play and that the end justifies the means. On the face of it, three mid table finishes since coming into the Premier League, a cup final and now a European campaign are all evidence that their system works.
Others see it as a total abandonment of the principles of pass and move football, played to intricate passing moves, well balanced players using skill not brawn to defeat opponents.Someone once said, ” If football was meant to be played through the air, God wouldn’t have invented grass!” Stoke don’t adhere to that idea. So, what is wrong with their method of play?
Games are always a physical battle but Stoke take that battle to the absolute limits of legallity and sometimes, some argue, they cross the line.They are a big physical side, built on a solid, burly back four who take no prisoners when competing for the ball. Shawcross and Huth in particular can be branded as overly physical.Yet this can be accepted as part of the game, Chelsea’s defenders are hardly shrinking violets.No., with Stoke it’s about the way they generally use percentage football to keep the ball in the opponents’ penalty area.
Long throws from long, long distances, hurled into the 18 yard area, a major physical battle ensues, keep the ball alive by fair means or foul, block the goalkeeper, do anything to win another throw or a corner but keep the ball up there.It’s not a pretty sight, it relies more on brute force and underhand methods than skill. It has annoyed such luminaries as Arsene Wenger and Andre-Villas Boas and did nothing for European relations when the Hadjuk Split manager complained that football shouldn’t be played that way.
Blackpool were a breath of fresh air last year with an attacking brand of football that most people outside of Stoke would prefer to watch, but, they got relegated .They had some physical players in their team, could have changed tack and played the Stoke way but the manager refused to change presumably believing that there is a better way to play the game and believing in the principles of the beautiful game.
It didn’t work this time but hopefully Blackpool will be back and their brand of football perhaps next time with better defenders will grace the Premier League. West Brom are another example of a team, under Tony Mowbray, himself an uncompromising defender in his day, would not resort to the tactics of Stoke.Yes, relegation ensued but now Albion are back and a couple of managers later are stilll playing attractive football.
This is not meant to be an anti-Stoke City brief but do the players really enjoy playing that way? Are they better than that and should they be pushing for a more expansive, less up and at ’em style? Stoke fans will want Tony Pulis to continue along the same lines, they are passionate crowd, the Britannia stadium is an intimidating place, the first throw-in brings noise almost as if a goal has been scored, trust me Stoke fans, intimidation on and off the field doesn’t do much for those in the wider football community.A trip to Stoke is not a pleasant experience, being locked in for 30 minutes after the end of the game to avoid ambush is not a good advert, neither is the style of play.
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
Click here to have a look out our predictions for the 2011/2012 Premier League Season!
Or have a look at the ten strikers that we think will lead the race for the Golden Boot next season
Tosser!
Yawn….another BS article.
We’ll play how we want.
The football Stoke play is no worse than that of several mid to lower PL teams. If it wasnt for the long throw no one would be any the wiser or have any of these smart ass comments.
Go watch Arsenal if it bothers you that much.
Another so called writer having his tuppenceworth about stoke city. I wish a few of these writers would do a little research before putting pen to paper!Have a look at yellow and red cards over the last few seasons and look at the teams that are getting them or are you saying that stoke are so clever they are conning the refs a swell.
Yawn yawn yawn. This plaguristic piece of writing disguised as an intellectual prose is nothing new and wearing a bit thin to be honest. Stoke City do not pretend to be anything else but a team built on strength, effort, team spirit and a never say die attitude that has served it well and an attitude that sometimes other teams wish they had. The label of long ball football is well worn and untrue given Etherington and Pennent on the flanks. Lazy journalism is the scourge of freedom of the press. Rather than every team trying to play like Barcelona, surely the addition of different styles will make the Premier League more competetive and stronger, more able on the European and National arenas. The diversity surely means that teams able to handle the varying styles will mean that they are the best. If football was supposed to only be played on the ground, they would ban headers and make the goals 2 foot high. If the likes of Arsenal had their way, tackling would be banned. I was playing golf recent and on a short par 3, I hit an awful looking shot. It went no higher than a foot off the ground, skipped over a bunker, rolled down a slope and finished two feet from the pin. I suppose you would have banned that for being ugly. What I learnt was that there is more than 1 way to soon a cat to use an old adage, and I suggest you learn the same lesson my friend.
What a lazy, superficial piece of writing. It tells us nothing new, answers no questions and doesn’t even pose any interesting questions.
The internet has been great in so many ways but this rehashing of the ‘same old stuff’ does not serve it well.
Shawcross and Huth are central defenders (is that enough of an explanation) whilst Pennant and Etherington are old fashioned quick and skilful wingers who play with the ball at their feet.
Tony Mowbray has failed in at least one other club since the halcyon days of his WBA relegation.
I resent the loss of my time in feeling the need to respond to such drivel I shall try to have better self restraint in future.
yet another lazy totally anti stoke report that truly is begining to get my back up , again you reporters jump on the ” stoke are thugs ” bandwagon well for information the beautiful game that arse – nal play got them more sendings off and more bookings than stoke last season so why dont you actually come to watch how we play ? where is the mention in your lazy arse piece about us playing two wingers , get a life, bet ya an oatcake you live in london !!!!!
Not a Stoke supporter, but I enjoy watching them. I also like Tony P says it how it is. Barca at the Britannica on a Wed night dealing with Delila and Delap. I would love to see it.
not a stoke fan but what a load of crap, not every team plays the same otherwise every team set up would be the same and every attack would be the same , in other wourds boaring . what stoke give is honest work like aproach to a game that is suposedly only for the rich clubs not like the days when football first started.for the working class. only the media has made this game the way it is and run by people with more money than stoke could belive in ever having. it is a competitive game more than one way to win that is the hart and sol of the game. we arnt watching cricket played along the same rules of engagment it is competative, this is what i belive without this the game would fast become stale. this is what makes for good entertainment the so called big guns fighting it out at a stoke game. im talking crap going watch rugby game load of rich men hiting and groping each other.
Thank God this lad has brought the subject up, where would we be without his insightful views on this red hot topic?
In other news, the Titanic has hit an iceberg apparently.
Oh and by the way, we’re Stoke and we’re here to stay.
The more you write tripe like this, the more we love sticking two fingers up to you.
we are stoke city we’ll play how we want…… total drivell…. get a life
Yet again we are labelled as thugs who can’t play football. I’m sorry I thought we’d played 4 games won 3 & drew 1 whilst losing 0. Along the way we picked up 0 red cards. Perfect footballing role-models Arsenal have played 2, winning 1 & drawing 1 but wait, they have 1 red card for striking an opponent & should have had 2 for Songs stamping on an opponent…Who are the thugs?? oh wait obviously its Stoke!
Useless piece of journalism to join the growing pile slagging off Stoke.
Hilarious. I’m sure Blackpool will be a ‘breath of fresh air’ in the Chapionship too.
‘football shouldnt be played that way’- I must look up the way football should be played in the official rule book, might as well check if throw ins are allowed too.
Stoke are a team who do what is neccessary – completely within the rules – to compete at the highest level with teams who have far more financial clout.
Stoke have been a breath of fresh air in the Premier League and should be held up as an example to smaller teams on how to survive against the big boys.
This article is just misguided and lazy, no mention of Pennant or Etherington – how many teams play with 2 out and out wingers?
We are Stoke and we’ll play how we like!!
“This is not meant to be an anti-Stoke City brief” REALLY.
This is the same old recycled tripe that has been thrown at the club and the players since 2008. Get yourself a video of Stoke 5 Bolton 0 in the FA Cup semi final, watch the fast, skillful play that results in some superb goals.
You might think watching West Brom getting relegated trying to pretend they were Liverpool in their 1970s heyday is fun. I don’t.